Schofield Generating Station Project

The Army issued a Draft Environmental Impact Statement, or EIS, April 24, 2015, after a Notice of Availability, or a NOA, was published.

The Army issued a Notice of Intent, or NOI, to prepare a joint EIS for the proposed lease of Army land at Schofield Barracks to the Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc., for the construction and operation on that land of a 50-megawatt biofuel-capable power generation plant. The EIS is designed to meet the requirements of both the National Environmental Policy Act, or NEPA (see next section), and the Hawaii Environmental Policy Act, or HEPA, as a matter of efficiency and cooperation with the state’s decision-making process.

The Army and the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources, or DLNR, will use the analysis in the EIS to determine the potential effects of implementing the proposed action and alternatives. The Army also intends to integrate this NEPA process with the consultation and public participation requirements of Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act.

The proposed action, referred to as the Schofield Generating Station Project, consists of the following:

• The Army’s lease of 8.13 acres of land, and the related granting of a 2.5 acre interconnection easement, on Schofield Barracks and Wheeler Army Airfield to Hawaiian Electric.
• DLNR’s granting of a 1.2-acre easement and a 0.7-acre Conservation District authorization allowing for the construction of a 46-kilovolt electrical power transmission line between the Schofield Generating Station Project site and Hawaiian Electric’s existing Wahiawa substation.
• Hawaiian Electric’s construction, ownership, operation and maintenance of a 50-MW capacity biofuel-capable power generation plant and 46-kV sub-transmission line required to connect the Schofield Generating Station plant to the Hawaiian Electric grid. Hawaiian Electric would be the sole owner of the plant and the electrical power transmission facilities.

The purpose of the proposed action is to meet the common needs of the Army and Hawaiian Electric for secure, reliable and renewable power generation.

The project is needed to provide Hawaiian Electric with a quick-starting facility to help maintain grid stability. Its location away from the shoreline will help it contribute to grid reliability and continuity in the event of a tsunami or other natural disaster. Locating the facility within a secured military installation also provides for greater physical security, which contributes to continuity of operation in case of a man-made threat. The project will also help Hawaiian Electric make progress toward the state of Hawaii’s Renewable Portfolio Standards.

For the Army, the project would be a source of renewable power that would enhance energy security for Schofield Barracks, Wheeler Army Airfield and Field Station Kunia if loss of service occurs from the normal sources of electricity supporting these installations. It would also help achieve Army goals of producing renewable energy on Army-owned real property.

The Army announced its record of decision to proceed with the proposed Feb. 5, 2016.

Additional project information can also be found at the Office of Energy Initiatives website.

The Army issued a Notice of Intent, which was published in the Federal Register, Jan. 17, 2014.

• The 45-day scoping comment period was Jan. 17-March 2, 2014.
• The Army issued a Draft Environmental Impact Statement, or EIS, April 24, 2015, after a Notice of Availability was published in the Federal Register.
• The 45-day public comment period on the draft EIS was April 24-June 8, 2015.
• The Army published the final EIS Oct. 30, 2015.
• The Army announced the signing of the Record of Decision Feb. 5, 2016.

This section serves as the repository for documents related to the National Environmental Policy Act and/or Hawaii Environmental Policy Act (HEPA) process.

• Record of Decision (Released Feb. 5, 2016)
• Army Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (April 24, 2015)
  NEPA process
• Army Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (Jan. 17, 2014)
  NEPA process
• DLNR Environmental Impact Statement Preparation Notice (Dec. 23, 2013)
  HEPA process

Final Environmental Impact Statement

The Final Environmental Impact Statement was released Oct. 30, 2015.

• Final EIS Schofield Generating Station Project - Cover to Section 12
• Appendix A-1 - EIS Preparation Notices
• Appendix A-2 - Scoping Comments and Responses
• Appendix A-3 - DEIS Public Notices
• Appendix A-4 - DEIS Comments and Responses
• Appendix B - HECO biofuel policy
• Appendix C - Traffic Study
• Appendix D - CZMA Coordination
• Appendix E - Water Characterization Study
• Appendix F - Section 7 ESA Coordination
• Appendix G - Section 106 NHPA Coordination
• Appendix H - Cultural Impact Assessment

Public Comment Meetings

Presentation and posters from public comment meetings held May 20 and 21, 2015.

• Presentation
• Posters

Draft Environmental Impact Statement

Comment period was held April 24-June 8, 2015.

• Cover, Signature Page, Abstract, Executive Summary, Table of Contents, Sections 1-12
• Appendix A - Public Notices
• Appendix B - Scoping Comments
• Appendix C - Traffic Study
• Appendix D - Agency Coordination under the Coastal Zone Management Act
• Appendix E - Water Characterization Study
• Appendix F - Agency Coordination under the Section 7 Endangered Species Act
• Appendix G - Agency Coordination under the Section 106 National Historic Preservation Act
• Appendix H - Cultural Impact Assessment

Public Scoping Meetings

Presentation and posters from public scoping meetings held Feb. 5 and 6, 2014.

• Presentation
• Posters